Procedure how to found a town

The founding of a town was an extensive investment and required the ruler's written permission, including stipulated conditions of founding. The operation was in the hands of a locator who located the land for settlement and was in charge of organizing and financing arrangements for the entire enterprise. An important part of the locator's task was to arrange for a sufficient number of settlers who would make a welcome one-time payment for the land to the ruler's treasury.

In order to give the new town an easier start, the ruler generally granted a grace period during which the town was free of the burden of taxation. The success of a town's founding was naturally in the locator's interest as his rewards increased along with success (extra land allotment, etc.). Management of the new town was left to councilmen who were bound by an oath of fealty to fulfil their duty to the king. The councilmen were chosen from among the town's citizens, as was the "rychtar" or town manager who in fact represented the ruler's power and interests in the town.